New Mexico eliminates testing requirement to graduate

Some New Mexico high school students will not be required to pass standardized tests normally required for graduation, the Albuquerque Journal reported.

The announcement was made last week by the state’s Public Education Department (PED), which revealed to the Albuquerque Journal that while students will still be required to take the tests, the scores will not be considered for graduation. The new standard applies to the class of 2024, who were freshmen at the beginning of the pandemic.

The decision came from advice handed down by the U.S. Department of Education “to reduce the high stakes of assessments,” according to a memo by New Mexico Education Secretary Kurt Steinhaus.